Fire extinguisher



G. T. PEARSONS.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER. APPLICATiON n uzu SEPT. 9, 191a.

Patented Oct. 10, 1922.

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GEORGE T, PEARSONS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE EXTING-UISHER.

Application filed September 9, 1918.

To all who-m it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon T. Pnansoivs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invent- M ed new and useful improvements in Fire the liquid Extinguishers, ofwhich the following is e specification.

This invention relates to lire extinguishers in which fire extinguishing liquid 1s'd1s charged from a reservoir or tank by placing under compression, and it is the primary object of the invention to provide a fire extinguisher of this character in which the fire extinguishing liquid is placed under compression upon "the inverting of the extinguisher.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fire extinguisher in which the extinguisher is pivotally supported and the extinguisher caused to assume an inverted placed under compression when a predetermined temperature is reached.

It'is another object of the invention to provide a. fire extinguisher or" this character in which the fire extinguisher is maintained upright by the liquid in the extinguisher and the extinguisher is caused to assume an inverted position and the fire extinguishing material placed under compression by the discharge of a portion of the liquid.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fire extinguisher in which fire extinguishing liquid is contained in a tank or reservoir and released therefrom when a predetermined temperature is reached and placed under compression by means normally inactive and adapted to become operative upon the discharge oi'a portion of the'liquid from the tank.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a fire extinguisher showing an embodiment of my invention in normal position; and

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the extinguisher in inverted position and illustrative of placing the fire extinguishing liquid under compression.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawing. 3

The present invention is a further improvement of the extinguisher disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 227,

ture is reached adjacent to orut a Serial No. 253,168.

857. In said prior application the fire extinguisher is normally maintained in upright position by a cable having fusible link, and upon the fusing of said link the extiir gulsher assumes an inverted position by gravity, and the invc of the extinguisher causes gas gener: ing materials, normally held in separated condition in a generator in the reservoir in the normal upright position of the extinguisher, to mix and generate gas and place the fire extinguishing liquid in the reservoir of the extin uisher under compression. The present invention is distinguished from the invention disclosed by my said prior application in that the extinguisher is normally maintained in upright position by the liquid in the extinguisher and the extinguisher is set in op eration when predetermined temperature is reached and the liquid placed under compression upon the discharge oi a portion of the liquid from the extinguisher.

The embodiment of my invention shown in the c rawing comprises a reservoir or tank 3 having an opening closed by a removable cover 4:. The tank is pivotally supported to be inverted by trunnions 4 extending laterally from the tank engaging in arms or hangers 5 fixed to a suitable support, such as a wall. a

The tank is separated by a partition 6 into two chambers 7 andS both of which chambers carry fire extinguishing liquid, such as carbon tetrachloride, withuthe chamber 7 of greater volume or carrying capacity than the chamber 8, and the latter chamber located at the bottom of the tank in the uprightposition thereof, as shown in Figure 1.

p The reservoir, or tankis so arranged that when both of the chambers 7 and 8 are filled, or nearly filled, with the lire extinguishing liquid said liquid will operate to retain the extinguisher in upright position, and upon the discharge or flow of the liquid from the chamber 8, the extinguisher will automatically assume an inverted position.

The extinguisher is adapted to be set in operation when a predetermined temperaplace remote to the extinguisher. In the present instance the extinguisher is shown as con nected to a distributing pipe line 9 having an outlet or outlets and each outlet being closed by a fusible sprinkler head, as shown at 10 in Figure 1. To permit of the invertmg of the extinguisher the connection set ' bottom of such thereof with the pipe line is through a flexible connection 11, commonly termed flexible metallic hose.

The chamber 8 has an outlet 12 near the bottom to which the hose 11 is connected, and an air inlet 13 with a check valve 14- fer the inlet of air to said chamber to displace liquid. discharged therefrom and prevent the creation of avacuum. lVhen the temperature reaches a predetermined degree or becomes suilicient to fuse a sprinkler head to open an outlet or outlets of the pipe line and therel y the outlet of the reservoir or tank the fire er. inguisher liquid will flow or be discharged. from the chamber 8, and upon the discharge o the liquid from said chamber the extinguisher will become top hea and automatically assume an inverted posiaon as shown in Figure 2, this being permissible due to the flexible nature of the connection 11. The pipe line is connccted to the chamber 7 through an extension 11 of too connection 11 connected to an outlet 15 of said chamber which is at the top in the i'iormal position of the extinguisher and so arranged as to communicate with an air space between said outlet and the surface of the liquid in said chamber. The cover has an opening 16 leading to the air space above the surface of the liquid and which opening is normally closed by a spring in fluenced valve 1.7 opening into and closing outward. from the chamber 7. By the provision of this valve controlled air inlet as the liquid is discharged from the chamber 8 the discharge of such liquid will be prevented from creating a siphon that would draw off the liquid from the chamber '5 as the tendency to create a vacuum at the top of the chamber 7 will be prevented due to the provision of the valved air inlet 16.

its the extinguisher assumes an inverted position the liquid in the chamber 7 is placed under compression, in the present instance consisting of a fluid pressure, by the generation of a in the reservoir. For this purpose there is provided. a generator which is shown of the type disclosed in my capending application hereinbefore referred to. in which there is provided a generating chamber in the form of a tubular member 18 having an open end closed by dished removable cover 19 to constitute the chamber, said cover having perforations 20 to chamber into the reservoir or tank. A receptacle or bottle 21 for a gas generating material, such as sulphuric acid, is seated upon the dished portion of the cover 19 and within a tubular member 22 extending up into the chamber 18 from the disheo cover. The outl t of the receptacle 21 is closed in the upl ht position thereof by a gravity seated stopper 23. A cup shaped member 2a engages over the outlet of the receptacle serve as outlets for said 21 and the stopper with the top of said member spaced from the outlet 'to permit the stopper to have a limited outward movement from the receptacle outlet and having perforations to permit of the flow of the acid. The member 2% has a stem 25 fi'ked thereto which extends to the top of the tubular member 18 to retain said cup in engagement with the receptacle 21.

Another gas generating material 26, such as bicarbonate of soda, is carried in the tubular member 22 superposed to the receptacle 21 and the cup member 2a, and is prevented from entering the perforations of said cup and pack around the same by a disk 27 slidably mounted on the stem 25 and which supports the material 26. As the extinguisher is inverted the receptacle stopper will drop from the outlet to engage with the cup 241-. permitting the flow of the acid from the receptacle 21 which will pass through the perforations of the cup and trickle over the disk onto the gas generating material 26 generating the pressure of which gas in the space between the disk 27 and the acid receptacle operating to force the disk and the material 26 from the tubuler member 22 to the top, then the bottom, of the generating chamber, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The generated gas passes out through the perforations 20 into the chamber 7 0f the tank and places the fire extinguishing liquid therein under compression and forcibly discharges said liquid through the outlet 15. The outlet of the chamber 8 has a valve 28, in the form of a ball, arranged to normally maintain said outlet open, but as the liquid discharged through the outlet extension 11 is under compression this liquid will operate to move the valve to closing position and prevent the liquid being discharged from the chamber 7 into the chamber 8.

To prevent the entrainment of the gas generating materials with the generated gas and the discharge thereof into chamber 7 baflies are provided in the generating chamber, and consist of perforated flanges 29 extending laterally from the tubular member 22. To retain the generator centrally of the chamber 7 it engages loosely in an annular member lined to the partition 6 and the opposite end of the generator has a lug to engage or lie contiguous to the cover a. By the generator loosely engaging in said annular member a sufficient space is provided to permit of the passage of the generated gas into the chamber 7.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. in a. lire extinguisher, a pivotally supported tank separated into compartments containing fire extinguishing liquid and having outlet means, said compartments being arranged so that the liquid therein will of the tank and operative upon maintain the tank in a predetermined position and to cause the tank to assume an in verted position upon the flow of liquid from one compartment, and means in another compartment operable upon the inversion of the tank to place the liquid; therein under compression.

2. In a fire extinguisher, a pivotally sup,- ported tank having outlet means and sepa rated into compartmentsto contain a plurality of materials and maintained by the liquid therein in a predetermined position, said, tank being operable upon the flow of the material from one of said compartments to automatically assume an inverted position, and means operable upon the inversion of the tank to place the material in another compartment under compression.

In a. fire extinguisher, a pivotally supported tank separated into compartments to contain a plurality of materials in a separated condition and having outlet means, said tank being maintained in a predetermined position by the liquid in the compart ments and operable upon the flow of material from one of said compartments to assume an inverted position, and means carried in the tank normally inactive in the one position the inversion of the tank to place the material in an other compartment under compression.

4. In a fire extinguisher, a pivotally supported tank having outlet means separated into compartments to contain a plurality of materials in a separated condition and said material being adapted to be released therefrom at a predetermined temperature, said tank being maintained in a predetermined position by the material therein and operable upon the floW of one of said materials therefrom to automatically assume an in verted position, and means carried Within the tank in inactive condition in the normal position of the tank and operable to create and place the material in another compartment under fluid pressure and forcibly eject it therefrom upon the flow of material from the one compartment and inversion of the tank.

5. In an automatic fire extinguisher, a pivotally supported tank for fire extinguishing liquid having outlet means with a fusible closure, said tank being adapted to assume an inverted position upon the fusing of the outlet closure and-the flovv of liquid therefrom, and means Within the tank carrying gas generating materials in a separated condition in the upright position of the tank and adapted to mix and generate gas upon the inversion of the tank to place the liquid therein under compression.

6. In a fire extinguisher, an invertibly supported tank to contain fire extinguishing liquid and having outlet means for the liquid, means to carry gas generating main a separated condition in the upright po- 'sition of the tank and adapted to mix and generate gas When the tank is inverted to place the liquid in the other chamber under compression.

8. In a fire extinguisher, a pivotally sup ported tank divided into separate chambers to contain fire extinguishing liquid, outlet means common to all of said chambers having closure means fusible at a predetermined temperature to release the liquid from the chambers, the flow of liquid from one chamber being by gravity and the flow of liquid from said chamber causing the tank to assume an inverted position, and means to place the liquid in another chamber under compression, said means normally being inactive and adapted to become active upon the inverting of the tank by the flow of liquid from the one chamber.

In a fire extinguisher a pivotally supported tank divided into separate chambers to contain fire extinguishing liquid, the liquid from one of said chambers adapted to be discharged by gravity therefrom when a predetermined temperature is reached and the discharge of the liquid from said chamber causing the tank to assume an inverted position, and gas generating means to place the liquid in the other chamber under compression, said means normally being inactive and adapted to become operative upon the inverting of the tank by the flow of the liquid from the other chamber.

10. In a fire extinguisher an invertible tank divided into separate chambers to contain fire extinguishing liquid and having outlet means, the liquid being adapted to be discharged from one of said chambers when a predetermined temperature is reached, and the tank being adapted to assume an inverted position upon the discharge of the liquid from said chamber; and normally inactive gas generating means carried in the other chamber adapted to become operative when the tank is inverted to place the liquid in said chamber under compression.

11. In a fire extinguisher an invertible tank divided into separate chambers con taining fire extinguishing liquid and having outlet means, the liquid being adapted to 30 of said chambers upon flow by gravity from one of said chambers and the tank to assume an inverted position upon the flow of liquid from said chamber; and gas generating means normally inactive in the upright position of the extinguisher and operable upon the inverting oi the tank to generate gas and place the liquid in the other chamber under fiuid compression.

12. In a fire extinguisher an invertible tank divided into separate chambers containing fire extinguishing liquid and having outlet means, the liquid being adapted to flow by gravity from one of said chambers when a predetermined temperature is reached and the tank to assume an inverted position upon the flow or liquid from said chamber; and a gas generator carrying gas generating materials in a separated condition and operable upon the inverting oi the tank to cause said materials to mix, generate gas and place the liquid in the other chamher under compression.

13. In a fire extinguisher an invertible tank divided into separate chambers containing fire extinguishing liquid and having outlet means, closure 1 ieans tor the outlet 'rusible at a predetermined teni iierature, the liquid being adapted to fiow by gravity from one the fusing of said closure means and the tank to assume an inverted position upon the flow of the liquid from said chamber; and a gas generator in the other chamber to generate gas and place the liquid in said chamber under compression.

lt. In a fire extinguisher an invertible tank divided into separate chambers containing fire extinguishing liquid and having outlet means, closure means for the outlet fusible at a predetermined temperature, the liquid being adapted to flow by gravity from one of said chambers upon the fusing of said closure means and the tank to assume an inverted position upon the flow of liquid from said chamber; and a gas generator in the other chamber to generate gas and place the liquid therein under fluid compression, said generator being arranged to carry gas generating materials in a separated condition in the upright position of the extinguisher and adapted to cause said materials to unite and generate gas when the extinguisher is inverted for the purpose specified.

15. In a fire extinguisher, a pivotally supported tank containing a plurality of materials and operable on the flow of one or the materials to be automatically inverted, and means operable when the tank is inverted to place the material therein under pressure.

GEO. T. PEARSONS. 

